Medical instruments are often inserted into body orifices in order to examine the condition of internal body tissue and other body conditions, to apply medicines, and for other purposes. Typically, such medical instruments include a probe having a generally conical peripheral configuration that is inserted into the orifice and that usually is seated against the walls of the orifice. Such medical instruments include ear instruments such as, for example, otoscopes for examining a patient's ear, infrared thermometers for measuring the temperature of an ear drum, and tympanometers.
Medical instruments that are adapted to be inserted into a body orifice are usually expensive and must be reused. The probe section of the medical instrument that is adapted to be inserted into the orifice may be contaminated with body fluids, wax, hair, and skin cells. By reusing the medical instrument, such contaminates may be transmitted to other patients, which naturally may result in the transmission of disease or other undesirable effects. In order to provide for sanitary reuse of such medical instruments, disposable probe covers have been utilized. Such probe covers are typically hollow and usually possess a configuration conforming to that of the associated probe. Probe covers may be selectively mounted to the medical instrument, in a position mounted over and around the probe, such as by a compressive snap fit or by a threadable connection. After using the medical instrument with the probe cover in connection with one patient, the probe cover is detached from the medical instrument and permanently discarded. A new probe cover is then mounted over the probe and selectively attached to the medical instrument before the medical instrument is reused with another patient.
Sometimes a healthcare practitioner may incorrectly presume that a probe cover mounted on the medical instrument is a fresh probe cover rather than one that has already been used. In such event, the probe cover may transmit contaminants to the next patient on which the medical instrument is used. Aspects of the present invention were developed in response to concerns about cross-contamination due to errant reuse of a probe cover.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to determining a depth of insertion of the probe and probe cover, and preferably whether the probe and probe cover have achieved a minimal or preferred depth of insertion when inserted into a body orifice, such as an ear. In this regard, aspects of the current invention augment the teachings disclosed in Applicant's co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 12/610,760 entitled “THERMOMETER FOR DETERMINING THE TEMPERATURE OF AN ANIMAL'S EAR DRUM AND METHOD OF USING SAME”, filed Nov. 2, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In order to perform some procedures, the medical instrument will not properly function unless the probe is inserted to a sufficient depth, or an ideal depth, into a body orifice. Therefore, it is important to determine the depth of insertion of the probe and any probe cover as a medical instrument is being used, in order to insure that the medical instrument is accomplishing its intended purpose. For example, as explained in more detail in the previously mentioned co-pending patent application, when measuring the temperature of an animal's ear drum based upon the infrared radiation emitted by the ear drum, it is important that the probe be inserted sufficiently into the ear so that essentially only infrared radiation emitted by the region around the ear drum is registered. If the probe is not sufficiently inserted into the ear, then the infrared thermometer will receive infrared radiation from other areas of the ear canal and the outer ear that do not accurately indicate the temperature of the ear drum. The medical instrument of the present invention may also be used to determine the depth of insertion of the probe and any probe cover.